


Shattered Kiss

by GoofyGoldenGirl



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Boundaries, Comfort, Crying, Embrace, F/M, Heartbreak, Kissing, Lukanette, Misunderstandings, One-Sided Attraction, Rejection, Romantic Angst, Season 3 Finale, Season/Series 03 Spoilers, Unrequited Love, Worry, adrigami, gabenath
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-15
Updated: 2019-10-15
Packaged: 2020-12-16 15:57:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21038852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoofyGoldenGirl/pseuds/GoofyGoldenGirl
Summary: Takes place just after Heart Hunter| Loveeater| Mangeamour





	Shattered Kiss

_People in love?_

The words echoed in his ears. He felt Kagami’s hands delicately cradle the back of his neck. The softness in her eyes radiated a warmth that she only saved for the select few in her life. It was a gaze filled with deep adoration, of trust that could only take place when both partners had their walls come down, and a mixture of the excitement of someone falling in love for the first time could only feel. The expression on her face was so familiar, but he couldn’t place and didn’t have time too as she pushed herself up on the tip of her toes. The space between them thinned. She angled his head towards her. His eyes instinctively began to droop, despite being uncertain of how to process of what was happening. It was when her lips met his’ that it came to him.

_It’s the same look I have whenever I look at Ladybug_

Adrien’s eyes opened. The firm pressure of Kagami’s kiss made his mouth stretch out. She pulled back.

“What’s wrong?” Kagami asked.

Her stoic defense had come up again, but Adrien could tell by that brief flash of vulnerability in her eyes, that she was pained by his reaction. 

“Wrong?” His voice sounded higher than usual. 

“I thought you liked me. Like you had a crush-on-me, like-me.”

“I do,” he tried to give her the direct answer she wanted, but doubt seeped in.

“Then why didn’t you kiss me back?”

“I don’t know. I’m confused!” Adrien shrugged.

“Confused about what? Your feelings? It’s Marinette isn’t it?” Kagami quickly concluded. 

“_What?_” He was surprised.

“I know you like her, I’ve seen the way you look at her, and talk to her, and even though I tried to convince myself that you moved on from her, I knew that you’d still have feelings for her. And she’s the only person besides you who’s my friend, and I can’t hurt her, and I kissed you, and if she finds out---_oh god I screwed this up so much!_”

Kagami burst into tears. She turned away from him and buried her face in her hands.

“Kagami I—“ Adrien reached out for her.

She moved away from him with a shudder. Adrien’s hand remained stretched out, hovering a few inches from her shoulder.

“I’m not in love with Marinette. The girl I love is _Ladybug._”

Kagami’s hands fell. She turned to face him again. Her eyes were red and puffy. Tears streaked down her dimpled cheeks and the composure in her voice was gone as she went to speak again. 

“I don’t need you to try to spare my feelings by covering it up with lies. What I need from you Adrien is an _honest_ and _direct_ answer for once,” she snapped in a frustrated tone. 

“But I’m telling the truth! I’m in love in Ladybug and always have been since—“

Kagami let out a sob. 

“Excuse me. I think I need to be alone right now.”

She took off into a brisk walk down the street. 

“Kagami!”

But like before, Adrien found himself unable to move. He could only watch as she disappeared from his sight and mingled with the pedestrians on the busy Parisian street.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Marinette’s tears blotted Luka’s shirt, yet she made no move to pull back. She sobbed harder, not caring if she was making a scene. It felt like Luka was her shield from the world around her. His sturdy yet gentle embrace and the soothing sound of his voice made her feel safe enough to let herself break without being destroyed completely.

“There. Just let it all out. It’s ok,” Luka whispered.

Marinette’s head bobbed up and down. She pulled back with a sniff and gazed up at him. Upon seeing his concerned expression, she tried to turn her lips up into a smile. It faltered and a disappointed cry followed. 

“Marinette.”

Luka’s finger gingerly moved in to wipe a tear away. She felt his lips pucker up on the top of her head.

“Don’t worry about me. Let me do the worrying here.”

Marinette leaned in closer. Their foreheads pressed against each other. Through her tears, Marinette caught a glimpse of the warmth in his eyes. She took a shaky breath and felt it brush back against her face.

“Luka.”

And before she realized what was happening, their lips met. A bubbling sensation broke through the sinking feeling in Marniette’s chest. Her lips puckered up against his’ for a brief second before they both pulled away.

“Oh! Sorry! I shouldn’t have kissed you, I didn’t even know if you wanted one or not,” Luka frantically apologized.

The image of Adrien and Kagami sharing a kiss flashed in her mind. A new round of tears began.

“Oh god what did I do? I wanted to make you feel better, but I’ve only made it _worse._”

Marinette’s head tilted up. A string of sobs came out before the words could.

“I wish he was like _you_ Luka.”

“Who? Adrien?” Luka gently asked.

Marinette nodded. 

“Oh,” he understood. 

Marinette buried her head into his shoulder again. 

“I wish he could just—I wish I could—“

Her words became incomprehensible. Luka continued to hold her just like he did before. 

“I’m sorry Marinette,” he whispered. 

His fingers ran though her hair again.

“I’m sorry.”

________________________________________________________ 

“Gabriel I am begging you, let me come along.”

Nathalie began to cough. The pain in her chest tightened. With a wheeze, she slumped forward towards the edge of the couch. Her torso knocked against her knees. Glasses dangled and fell to the floor. Then Gabriel’s hand took hold of her shoulder. He maneuvered her upright and positioned her to lean against the back of the couch. She squinted to follow his blurry figure as he knelt down to retrieve her glasses. 

“I can’t take that risk,” he said.

He took good care to wipe the lens before putting the glasses back on her. She blinked. His expression, as always was intense and full of worry. 

“Nathalie, your sickness is affecting you when you’re transformed as _Mayura._ If you happen to get hurt during the fight, I will _never_ be able to forgive myself.”

He went to brush away a stray hair from her forehead. The movement of his fingers was light and delicate as it tucked the strand behind her ear. She leaned in towards him, wanting to savor his touch as much as she could. Her sudden action caused his hand to slide. It settled on her cheek and the back of his hand instinctively curved. 

“I am _grateful_ for all that you’ve done for me. I admire your loyalty, bravery, ingenious ideas that you’ve shown me during our quest. You stood beside me and _stayed_ when I was at my _worst._ You were my main motivation not to _give up._ Without you, Nathalie, we wouldn’t have gotten _so far._”

“But what about our plan? What if you can’t do it without me?” Nathalie asked. 

He was quick to answer her. 

“I have faith that all will go well. Akumatizing the Bourgeios girl will be a cinch and with her powers alongside the rest of the Miraculouses in that box, I expect an easy victory against our foes.” 

Before Gabriel drew his hand back, he let the palm of his hand press down against her cheek. 

“What’s important is that you rest, and keep an eye on the guardian.” 

He rose to his feet. 

“I must get going. I promise I’ll return,” he turned to leave the room. 

Panic washed over Nathalie.

“Gabriel! Gabriel please!”

Her legs were wobbly as she got up. The room spun and specks of light popped out in front of her, but she managed to grab hold of Gabriel and make him turn around. 

“We have to do this together! We _need_ each other for this to work! I’m strong enough I—“

Her knees buckled. Gabriel’s hand quickly moved to support her back. Her feet clenched. Hands shot out to grab the sides of his face. 

Every wrinkle, crease, and worry magnified in her line of view. Surprise flickered in his cool blue eyes. Nathalie’s palms clammed up. Her lips loosened as his breath wafted against her chin. Desperation tightened her grip and pulled her in so close that the lens of their glasses almost knocked against each other. 

“Gabriel, Gabriel I just—“

Nathalie’s lips crashed onto his’. A hand snaked up towards the back of his head and pulled him in. She closed her eyes and _fell._

The angle of his jaw jutted into her palm. The flesh of her lips and the tip of her tongue quivered with every reckless and sloppy movement she made. She clung to him, wanting _more_ needing _more_ of him. Trying to savor his taste. His skin against her hand. His body against hers’. Unaware that he had become completely still and did not respond.

It was only when she realized that she needed to breathe and broke off for a brief second, that he spoke.

“Nathalie?” 

The shock in his eyes. The loss of color in his cheeks. How his hands now gripped the air instead of her waist, all flooded Nathalie’s senses. She slid back and a hand shot over her mouth.

“Oh god!” A horrified muffle came out. “Sir-I-I didn’t mean to kiss you!“

“But you _did,_” Gabriel’s words cut to the point. 

Nathalie’s hands gripped the sides of her face. She kept her gaze down at the floor to avoid his cool stare.

“Nathalie. You have feelings for me, don’t you?”

She raised her head up to face him. The rebuttals, denials, and words stringed together raced through her mind to match the emotions jumbling about in her chest. Her lower lip stuck out. Mouth slowly opened to let her arguments flow.

A sob hit the air. 

She did not have the energy to turn away and hide her shame. Her glasses fogged up. Hot tears burned her cheeks. Nose ran as each cry grew louder and cracked.

“Nathalie please sit down. I don’t want you to start coughing again and faint.” 

She couldn’t feel her legs move. Somehow she was back on the couch. His figure loomed above her, distant and cold.

“Nathalie, I’m a _married man._ I _don’t_ love you, and I never _will_ love you. My _heart_ and my _soul_ will always belong to _Emilie._”

She answered with a series of hiccups. 

“If you thought otherwise, then you were mistaken, and _I_ should be the one to take the blame for giving you that impression.” 

Shades of red, white, and grey floated away from her. She felt her body slide against the back of the couch.

“I have to get going. Keep—keep an eye on yourself, and the guardian.” 

The door shut. Nathalie crumbled. She took hold of one of the pillows and let out an anguished scream.


End file.
